Helping your business grow, whether through optimising processes, upskilling your people or reducing costs through membership benefits – The Chamber connects you to funding, skills, new people, expert help and provides a platform where you and your business can flourish.

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Reaching and influencing the right person, whether it’s your industry sector peers, your local MP, a specific Government department or simply people that need what you do – the Chamber is an authoritative body which has the status and mandate to ensure your voice is heard by the right people.

Whether you’re already exporting or planning your first overseas ventures, we can help you reach new markets to increase your potential profits and revenue. Through our extensive programme of trade missions, training courses, seminars and business clinics, we help you target the regions most likely to achieve results.

Contact us now to find out about the information, advice and support we offer to individuals and businesses.

The Chamber is the leading business organisation in the East Midlands. With a growing membership of more than 4,100+ businesses and 3,000 affiliates, it is the second largest Chamber of Commerce in the country.

Futurologist Jason Bradbury will be our headline speaker at our Annual Dinner 2019, he will cover topics including the evolution of technology and it's implications for the modern world. 👩🏾‍💻 Book tickets here. 👉 bit.ly/2Egf7lppic.twitter.com/bvF7fttbyK

Business Network Magazine

The Chamber’s highly respected flagship publication is produced ten times a year and read by thousands of business people throughout the region – with news from members featuring prominently.

Friday, 29 September 2017

Business is struggling with the Apprenticeship Levy

Too many businesses are struggling to understand the Government’s Apprenticeship Levy, according to research published this morning.

British Chambers of Commerce commissioned Middlesex University to find out whether businesses were making the most of the levy scheme, which was introduced for the start of the current financial year.

The levy is a tax businesses have to pay to fund new apprenticeships. It is set at 0.5% of payroll but an allowance, currently £15,000, means that only firms with payroll exceeding £3m a year have to pay into the fund.

But any firm wanting to recruit an apprentice has to be registered with the scheme, even if not paying into it.

What the researchers found was that 23% of levy-paying firms still had no understanding of it. That figure rose to 66% of non-levy-paying firms. And 15% of respondents said they didn’t expect to recover any of the added cost while 36% said they expected to recover all of it and possibly more.

Almost nine-out-of-ten (86%) of firms said the levy scheme had increased their overall costs.

Jane Gratton, Head of Business Environment and Skills at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “For many businesses that pay the Apprenticeship Levy, it can feel like an additional employment tax, much of which they are unable to recover, and one that is deflecting training budgets away from other important training needs.

“Firms need greater flexibility on how they can use their levy monies and a system that is fully operational as quickly as possible, is simple and efficient, and that enables them to access good quality training.

“Our survey shows that many firms are still unaware of the Apprenticeship Levy and how it will impact on their business.

“With many companies across the country facing critical skills shortages, more information and support is required to ensure businesses continue to invest in training.”

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, which is itself a levy-paying business and an apprenticeships provider, said: “Worryingly, what this research shows is that, at one end of the scale, there are firms paying additional costs for something they don’t understand and don’t ever expect to see a return for and, at the other end, the very firms which should be taking money out of the pot to fund apprenticeships seem to have no idea how it works.

“It seems that since implementing the levy, the Government has simply left firms to work out for themselves what they are supposed to do instead of making sure they fully understand it and how to maximise its potential.

“We have the expertise to help members make the most of the levy and, rather than ignore it, we would urge them to call us so that we can talk them through it.”

Strategic Partners

The Chamber is proud to work in partnership with carefully-selected and universally-recognised regional brands – many of which have a national and international presence - and the largest employers across the counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

Patrons

If you want to expand your reach in the East Midlands, then becoming a Chamber Patron is a shrewd move. It enables you to mix with the regions leading businesses at exclusive events, gain insight into what's going to happen and helps raise you profile on multiple levels.

Strategic Partners

The Chamber is proud to work in partnership with carefully-selected and universally-recognised regional brands – many of which have a national and international presence - and the largest employers across the counties of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

Patrons

If you want to expand your reach in the East Midlands, then becoming a Chamber Patron is a shrewd move. It enables you to mix with the regions leading businesses at exclusive events, gain insight into what's going to happen and helps raise you profile on multiple levels.